egbert



2 Sheets-Sheet 2. (NOMOM') J. H. EGBERT.

GAR AXLE. No. 580,934. Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

Jmeaii Egeijf Hdii , UNITED STATES PATENT OEricE.

JAMES H. EGBERT, OF ANAOONDA, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO T JOHN S. HICKEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,934, dated April 20, 1897.

Application filed April 24, 1896. Serial No. 588,940. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- Like numerals of reference designate corre- Be itknown that I, JAMES H. EGBERT, a citispondin gv parts in all the figures of the drawzen of the United States, residing at Anaings. conda, in the'county of Deer Lodge and State 1 designates a car axle com posed of two sec- 5 5 of Montana, have invented a new and useful tions 2 and arranged in the bearing-sleeve Car-Axle, of which the following is aspecifior axle-box 3, forming a continuous unbroken cation. bearing-box the entire distance between a The invention relates to improvements in pair of car-wheels 4:, which are fixed to the car-axles. outer ends of the sections 2 of the car-axle 6o The object of the present invention is to by the application of pressure or by shrinkimprove the construction of divided car-axles ing or any other suitable means. The 0011- and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eftinuous bearing-sleeve or axle-box is provided ficient one possessing great strength and duwith a centrally-arranged chamber 5, open at rability, adapted to be readily applied to a the top and havingaremovable cover or plate x 5 car frame or body, and capable of distribut- 6, which has perforated ears or extensions ing a lubricant to its entire bearingsurface secured by bolts 7 or other suitable fastenwithout loss of oil. ing devices to laterally-extending perforated Another object of the invention is to prolugs 8 of the sleeve or box 3. vide simple and efficient means for enabling The sections 2, which are provided at their 2o car-wheels which are fixed to the. ends of an inner ends with annular grooves 9, are inaxle to rotate independently of each other to serted endwise into the sleeve or bearing 3 prevent the sliding and grinding action on and are detachably locked therein by means curves incident to car-wheels which are rigof bifurcated keys 10, straddling the inner idly connected with each other. ends of the axle-sections and interlocked with 7 5 25 A further object of the invention is to enthe annular grooves 9. The bifurcated keys able the axle-sections to be readily assembled are held by the cover or plate 6 against verand separated as desired. tical movement to prevent them from becom- The invention consists in the construction ing accidentally disengaged from the annular and novel combination and arrangement of grooves 9 and sections 2, and the sleeve or 0 parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated box is provided at opposite sides of the chamin the accompanying drawings, and pointed her 5, adjaceent to the bore or bearing-openout in the claims hereto appended. ing, with ribs or flanges 11, which support In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central Ionthe keys and enable them to resist the lateral gitudinal sectional view of a car-axle conthrust. The lower ends of the sides of the 5 structed in accordance with this invention. bifurcated keys may rest upon the bottom of Fig. 2 is a central transverse sectional view. the chamber 5 of the sleeve or box to prevent Fig. 3 is a detail view of the bearing-sleeve them from binding against the axle, or when or axle-box, partly in plan view and partly the keys are too short to rest upon the botin section. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of tom of the chamber the latter may be pro- 0 40 the removable keys for locking the axlesecvided with upwardly-extending lugs for suptions in the bearing-sleeve or axle-box. Fig. porting the keys, but, as illustrated in Fig. 6 5 is a detail View of the removable plate or of the accompanying drawings,the bifurcated cover of the bearing-sleeve or axle-box. Fig. keys may rest upon the sections of the axle dis a central longitudinal sectional view of in the grooves thereof. The upper portions 5 45 acar-axle, illustrating the modification of the 12 of the keys are substantially T-shaped to invention. Fig. 7 is acentral transverse secprovide a convenient handle to enable them tional view. Fig. 8 is 'a detail view of the to be readily grasped to remove them from central portion of the bearing-sleeve or axlethe chamber. box. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the removable The sleeve or axle-box is provided on its 50 plate or cover of the bearing-sleeve or axleinterior with longitudinal grooves or passages box. 13 and is annularly recessed to provide oilreceptacles 1i, and the lubricant is introduced into the bearing-sleeve or axle-box through a threaded perforation 15, in which is normally arranged a screw or threaded plug 16. In order to retain the lubricant within the bearing-sleeve or axlebox and prevent it from leaking out at the end thereof, the carwheels are provided at their inner faces with annular flanges l7, and the ends of the axlebox or sleeve are provided with circumferential grooves receiving a packing-ring 18, constructed of leather or other suitable material. The axle-box or bearing-sleeve is preferably cylindrical in cross-section, but the central chamber, which is formed by enlarging the axle-box or sleeve, may be rectangular or of any other desired configuration.

The car-axle is secured to the car body or frame by means of suitable fastening devices, which pass through perforations of attachment-plates 1.), formed integral with the sleeve or axle-box projecting laterally therefrom and arranged at opposite sides of the central chamber midway between the same and the car-wheels.

In Figs. 6 to t) of the accmnpanying drawings is illustrated a modification of the invention, in which the cover or cap of the central chamber of the sleeve or axle-box is secured in place differently from that shown in the preceding figures. The chamber of the sleeve or box is provided above the ends of the sections of the axle with a transverselydisposed arched bar or cross-piece 20, which is provided with a centrally-arranged threaded perforation, and the cover or plate 21 is secured in place by a screw 22, passing through a perforation of the cover or plate 21 and en gaging the threaded perforation of the cross bar or piece 20.

The cross bar or piece 20, which is located between the keys, is preferably formed integral with the sleeve or box, but may be mounted in any other suitable manner, and the cover or plate 21, which is provided with an oil-hole 23, has a depending flange fitting within the top of the chamber to lock the cover or plate against any horizontal movement and to relieve the screw and the cross-piece 20 of the strain.

The car-axle illustrated in the accompanying drawings is especially adapted for use in connection with mine-cars and the like; but the improvements are applicable to various other kinds of cars.

It will be seen that the car-axle is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that it will require but little attention.

It will also be apparent that nuts, keys, and other similar fastening devices for securing wheels to axles are dispensed with, that car-wheels are permitted to rotate independently of each other to prcventany grinding or slidingaction on on rves,an d that the parts are readily assembled and separated and supplied with a lubricant without wasting the latter.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of the construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a device of the class deseribed,the combination of a continuous axle-box or sleeve provided with a central chamber open at the top, a plate or cover secured to the chamber and provided with an oil hole or perforation, attachn'lent-plates located at opposite sides of the chamber, formed integral with the box or sleeve and adapted to be secured to the car body or frame, axle-sections arranged in the box or sleeve and having at their inner ends annular grooves located within the chamber of the box or sleeve, wheels fixed to the outer ends of the axle-sections and bifurcated keys arranged within the chamber, straddling the axle sections and interlocked with the grooves, said keys being provided with upper handle portions and being retained in position by the cover or plate, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described,the combination of a continuous sleeve or axle-box provided with a centrally-arranged chamber forming an oil-receptacle, said sleeve 01' axlebox being provided at opposite sides of the chamber at points between the same and its terminals with oil-receiving recesses,and having longitudinal grooves extending from the chamber to the recesses, a car-axle composed of two independent sections having their adjacent ends arranged in said chamber, and locking mechanism arranged in the chamber, engaging the axle-sections and detachably securing them in the sleeve or box, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAS. II. EGBER".

\Vitnesses:

\V. L. \VALLs, ALEXANDER Dnvixn. 

